First Friday art shows open in Baker City

As spring unfolds in Baker County, Crossroads Carnegie Art Center will welcome artwork in any medium for its open regional spring show.

All work is based on the theme of “Spring Awakenings: Garden-Inspired Art,” said Ginger Savage, Crossroads director.

The work voted best of show will receive a People’s Choice award of $50.

Unique to this First Friday will be food samples of lamb provided by Sexton Ranches of Haines. The OSU Master Gardeners will be on hand downstairs to answer questions about getting ready for spring planting and to highlight the upcoming classes.

Savage said there will also be at least  one nursery on site, too, “to start everyone’s juices flowing for spring planting and getting into the garden.”

•  Lila Shumway will be the featured artist at The Sycamore Tree, 2108 Main St. during April. The show opens Friday evening.

Shumway’s exhibit will include several new monochromatic paintings.

Beaded earrings created by Elaine Logsdon also will be on display.

• Baker Bistro, 1925 Washington Ave., will feature the work of Nanci Sheppard.

“I began drawing in the blank pages of books at age 3,” Sheppard said in a press release. “I am one of five girls and it was a way to get away from the bustle of the family.

“My father used to bring paper home for me to draw on. I have had instruction from school only. I am therefore, completely self- taught,” she said.

Sheppard says she tries to translate the beauty of the world around her onto paper or canvas.

“I like charcoal work but also have dabbled in oils, pastel, conte’, watercolor, pencil and pen and ink,” she said.

•  The photography of Alyssa Henry will be featured this month at Mad Matilda’s, 1917 Main St.

She will display “kind of a mix” from this year’s senior portraits, plus her travels to Peru and Europe.

“I’m all self-taught,” she says. “I’ve read one book and a few people let me job shadow.”

She’s been improving her skills since she received a digital camera five years ago, when she turned 18.

She says she’s had a lot of trial and error.

“Five years is a good amount of time to make mistakes,” she says with a laugh.